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Today’s Top 5

“If that’s what the anglers want, we’re all for it.”

– B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin talkin’ ’bout uppin’ the day 3 Elite field from 20 guys to 35, which in my 2c is a good thing. When the anglers heard that line from a B.A.S.S. exec they were like:

Lol! Couple more things from that post:

> Elitists will now get a day off, whenever possible, between practice and competition. This is to stock up on local baits and share information. Just kiddin’ about that last part….

> Steve Bowman was listed as “angler relations manager.” When the anglers found that out they were like:

HAHAHA Bowman!

FLWer John Cox finds fish on solid ground.

Check it: #offroad #4×4

He’s gotta be fishin’ the red squirrel pattern…which has nothing to do with Jeff Kriet…that I’m aware of anyhow.

Ray Hanselman smashed ’em at Amistad.

I always expect the first FLW derby of the season to be Okeechobee, but this time it was Amistad, TX — which judgin’ by the weights still ain’t “back” but was okay. Ray “I am the destroyer of TX bassin’ worlds” Hanselman won yet another one. I think he’s won like 105 TX Costas?

Anyhow, his 38-00 over 2 days (day 1 was canceled) was WAY above the rest of the field: Tyson Patrick was 2nd with 25-15 (Ray’s weight on day 1 alone), and some guy named Jeff Kreet or Krite or something was 3rd with 25-04 lol.

Ray-Ray caught ’em a Strike King 5XD crank (shad color), suspending jerkbait (same) and dropshot. Day 1 was friendlier, so he cranked most of ’em — grass in a spawning bay, 15-25′. Day 2 the bass shut down a bit.

1. Gotta give one to Crazy Jeff Kriet for finishin’ 3rd with his own bait, a Big Bite Shaking Squirrel Worm (Kriet’s magic). Once asked him why he didn’t come out with a Quivering Squirrel Worm — he said…”What?”

2. One of the jerkbaits used by OK’s Lance Crawford (10th) — 1 of 3 Okies in the top 10 — was the Smithwick Perfect 10 Rogue, runs deeper than a regular Rogue (which is still $$$) but not mentioned often:

3. Most-mentioned brand in the top 10: Strike King.

Does your youth league team rep the basses?

If you’re on this hockey team coached by bass-head Lee Erickson, dang straight:

The back shows him running down the lake in his bassin’ tub. Cool man!

MLF/BPT baits I’d be using.

Lemme say for 1 serious second that there’s NO WAY I could ever fish against the MLF/BPT guys and have a shot at finishing anywhere other than last. That outta the way, here’s some gimme baits — a little old skool but not this old:

That’s a definite no (hahaha Ike!) but he did get A cooler…company: Wyld Gear. Never heard of it — here’s the website — but for a sec I thought it said Wylde and had to do with southern NJ homie Zakk Wylde:

> “The best thing about the new bait is the profile is the same for 3/4- and 1-oz, so now the 1-oz lipless crankbait isn’t too large. Another great quality is I can bomb it 100 miles wether it’s on fluorocarbon or braid.”

> Meet and get seminared at Bass U — this weekend in scenic NJ, the bassin’ capital of the world yo! I might go to get my bassin’ brain expanded and to check out the stylin’s of new Bass U emcee Pat “Travers” Renwick of StrayCasts fame/infamy.

> The 1-day team events will feature a guaranteed $2,500 total payout with the winning team walking away with a guaranteed $1,000. The teams will only be allowed to have Missile Baits soft plastics and Missile Jigs skirted jigs in their boat, but any brands of terminal tackle will be allowed.

> The first event will be held on Lake Lanier, GA on Feb 24. The second tournament will be May 11 on Old Hickory Lake, TN.

Like getting the local dealers involved.

17. NetBait got a private equity shot.

Seems to be the thing nowadays, hope it works out for ’em. Got an email says the investment (doesn’t say it was a buyout) was by the Fingle Flagen Group, a “private equity company” which has no website I can find, includin’ the @hookset.com domain the email was sent from.

Tip of the Day

Menendez! You outed something pretty much EVERYONE has forgotten about even though it ketches the basses all year long and may be the best cold-water finesse bait ever. Here’s the juice:

> “The grub is a cold-water special, particularly in lakes that you have threadfin shad in — that’s what you’re mimicking. [Not necessarily in northern lakes!].”

> …Strike King Rage Grub. “The 4-inch version on a 1/4-oz Tour Grade Jighead…but it has a flange on it, and there are times when that flange creates too much disturbance, so take my pocketknife and slice off the flange to create a much quieter bait.

> “…2 ways I fish a grub in winter: I’ll swim it suspended in the water column, or fish it on the fall. If I notice the fish are chasing shad balls in 10-12′ of water, I’ll count that grub down 7-10 seconds, point my rod at about a 45-degree angle and then I’ll start slow-reeling, keeping that bait with those shad and off the bottom.”

I can’t fish near a good as Mark, but in my experience it’s almost a “no wrong way to fish it” bait as long as that tail’s moving. Sometimes the fish want it slower, sometimes faster (warmer water). With today’s bigger/fatter grubs, you can also rig it weedless/rockless.

Dang I should fish it more….

Quote of the Day

“I’ve had tournaments where I could’ve been a hero, but didn’t do crap in the standings.”

– Jacob Powroznik talkin’. Wellllll J-Pow, I’m thinkin’ pretty much ANYONE could say that man hahahaha! In fact, when Mercer interviews me I’m gonna say that every time. Then Dave’ll start saying it as soon as I walk on stage, and Trip’ll start givin’ me even more dirty looks….

A little context: Jacob’s talkin’ ’bout not showin’ out in some 5 biggest derbies cuz he might’ve had 5 7-lbers (in FL) instead of 5 8-lbers or whatever.

Shot of the Day

For a sec FLWer David Dudley was wondering if he was lookin’ at “the” bottom or “a” bottom:

Random

> …claims she can peer into the future by tossing the vegetable in the air and interpreting how the spears land.

Some bass-head oughta try that with Senkos…just kiddin’. Stay FAR away from that tellin’ the future stuff. Big-time bad juju.

Ya got me

Jay Kumar’s BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup

of the best, worst and funniest in bassin’, as curated by me — Jay Kumar. I started BassFan.com, co-hosted Loudmouth Bass with Zona, was a B.A.S.S. senior writer and a bunch more in bassin’. The Blaster is the #2 daily read on any given day in the wide world o’ bass so thanks for readin’!

The best, worst and funniest in bassin'! Jay Kumar is the guy who created BassFan.com, co-hosted Loudmouth Bass with Zona, was a B.A.S.S. senior writer and a whole lot more in bassin™. Make sure you sign up for the BassBlaster email!